title: Salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels, psychological factors in patients with oral lichen planus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the salivary levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol and scores of depression, anxiety and stress in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients with a diagnosis of OLP were selected; they were matched by sex and age with 31 control patients. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were investigated by the instruments Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults, respectively. Saliva was collected in the morning and at night for the determination of DHEA and cortisol levels by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to depression (P=0.832), anxiety (P=0.061) or stress (P=0.611), or with respect to morning and night salivary levels of DHEA (P=0.888, P=0.297) and cortisol (P=0.443, P=0.983).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest an association of OLP with anxiety. However, DHEA and cortisol levels did not differ between groups, which does not support any neuroendocrine aetiology for OLP.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Division, São Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Clarice
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luz
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.forename: Maria Antonia Zancanaro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Figueiredo
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia Tiellet
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Fernanda Gonçalves
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Salum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010507:Periodicity; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone